She was lying on a bed surrounded by 3-4 women and a midwife. The walls of the room were clearly able to feel her scream and pain. The pain of delivery was not appearing so much troubling to her since she knew that it was limited to the delivery. But some other kind of prolonged pain could be felt in her eyes. It was the pain of anxiety, pain of fear if this time again she would give birth to a girl; as she had already three daughters but now presently she had only two since one of them, unfortunately or fortunately; i don’t know, died at an age of three months and few days.
As soon as the baby was able to take its separate breathe, coming out of the womb of its mother, its cries were enough to create the vibration in the air molecules present in the room. As the baby’s cries penetrated her ears, a smile of happiness and relax spreaded at her face. She was happy and relaxed not because the pain of delivery was over but she was sure that this time she had given birth to a boy since the pitch of the cry was different than that of those girl babies and she was proved right in distinguishing the pitch of voice as the surrounding women gave their compliments-“congratulations”. The irony is that she was never bidden “congratulation” before for the same. I feel surprised and shocked why people discriminate their own children.
The new born baby was lying under the shade of his mother. Everyone present there was wishing a bright future to the baby. But who can predict looking at new born baby’s face what he or she will become in life. The first thing that comes to mind is it may be a pandit, palmist or astrologer. But personally i don’t believe these professionals.
His grandparents were predicting or expecting what he will become in his life. It was mere love and affection which was driving them to predict or guess about his future-all the sentences uttered in different ways but ultimately converging to a single meaning-“successful man”. One more person who was predicting the same -“ beta ek din tu bada aadmi banega”- was his illiterate mother. Basically it was the expectation rather than prediction.
But all the predictions and expectations were proving wrong as he was growing up. He grew in such a deprived society environment where nothing was there to create and encourage the urge in him to learn and study. In spite of his disinterest towards his study he studied upto metric. After that he left school because of reluctance as well as unavailability of means for further study. He had to work in the fields with his father in the village. This work also made him tired within two or three years.
He was innate talented but who cared for him? None. He was a great lover of colours- a good artist; a good painter. So he decided to go out of the well and was firm determined that one day e would colour on the canvas of sky and people would look at. He left his home for achieving his dreams. He struggled but having no platform as well as no financial support it became tough and tough to bring his dreams into reality. Still he continued and sustained against all the problems that came in the path. He passed all his prime time of his life in the struggle. He was so dedicated for his work that he never felt the necessity of life partner. He continued his work of painting but no one was there to appreciate even his master piece. He struggled and struggled and struggled and reached fifty years of age without having any taste of success. This discouraged and hopeless soul made his last painting and wrote “loser” instead of his name at the right bottom corner of the painting.
He left his profession as well as city and went to a peculiar city which was known for a particular colony- a colony of unsuccessful and losers. He started living there hopeless and without self-esteem. But gradually he resumed his profession because all the people living there used to appreciate each other’s work. Without caring for fame and awards he started again the same work with the same name but happily.
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